price matchinghttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/12619/all
enWeekend Recap: BK Twitter Hack, Posterous Closing, Best Buy Price Matchinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/weekend_recap_bk_twitter_hack_posterous_closing_best_buy_price_matching
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/burger_king_twitter_hack_200px.png" alt="Burger King Twitter hack" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Welcome back from the President's Day weekend! Hopefully everyone managed to grab a few deals during the shopping holiday (at least for those of us in the U.S.), but now it's time to get back to business. Today we've got a recap of all the stuff you may have missed from the last three days, so dig in and get caught up so you're not left wondering what your friends are talking about...</p><h3>Burger King Twitter Account Returns Following Monday Hack</h3><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/burger-king-twitter-account-hacked-monday-afternoon-posted-obscenities-company-plans-apology/2013/02/18/dfa2f8ac-7a42-11e2-9c27-fdd594ea6286_story.html" target="_blank"><em>The Washington Post</em> is reporting</a> that Burger King's Twitter account is back online Tuesday morning after being hacked a day earlier. The attackers redecorated the account to make it appear the fast food chain had been taken over by rival McDonald's, posting roughly 55 messages, including a number of obscene messages during the hour or so they had control of it. Burger King managed to get the account pulled at Twitter's end, but returned later that night. The company has since issued a statement apologizing to its "loyal fans and followers" for the social media snafu.</p><h3>Posterous Finally Closing Its Doors on April 30</h3><p>Speaking of Twitter, many Posterous users were worried when the microblogging service acquired their favorite social network -- and with good reason. Late Friday, <a href="http://blog.posterous.com/thanks-from-posterous" target="_blank">The Official Posterous Space made the announcement</a> that the abandoned service is finally closing up shop on April 30, including the website and mobile apps. The blog post offers some steps for backing up an existing account, also noting that plug-ins are available to port a Posterous blog over to WordPress or Squarespace as well.&nbsp; The move comes nearly a year after the Twitter acquisition, which many pundits predicted at the time would be the end of Posterous.</p><h3>Best Buy Makes Online Price Matching Permanent</h3><p><a href="http://bgr.com/2013/02/18/best-buy-online-price-matching-330140/" target="_blank">BGR is reporting</a> that retailer Best Buy has made its holiday price matching counteroffensive a permanent thing, effective March 3. The company's Low Price Guarantee was an initiative launched to combat "showrooming," an increasing problem for brick-and-mortar retailers where customers browse the store, then head to e-tailers like Amazon to buy cheaper. Best Buy's website and stores will now price match all local competitors as well as 19 major online competitors in all product categories and "on nearly all in-stock products," but only when a customer requests it. Kudos to Best Buy for making this a permanent fixture, but here's hoping this doesn't accelerate its race to extinction in the process...</p><h3>Pirate Bay Owners File Theft Report with Finnish Police</h3><p>Now here's an interesting turn of events: File sharing behemoth The Pirate Bay kicked off their week by <a href="http://thepiratebay.se/blog/227" target="_blank">filing a police report in Finland </a>against that country's Copyright Information and Anti-Piracy Centre (CIAPC) watchdogs -- the very same group who continues to try to bring down the popular torrent website. "The reason is that CIAPC have copied files from which The Pirate Bay is built, to produce a fraudulent parody site," the blog post noted, comparing the organization to "an ugly high school bully without friends." It will be interesting to see if the police report produces any results, but in the meantime the popular target for Hollywood and the music business will certainly have some fun with it.</p><h3>SUGARfx Brings Subtitles to Final Cut Pro X via FxFactory</h3><p>Although Apple has done a lot to restore full functionality to Final Cut Pro X over the year and a half, the video editing software still has a few gaping holes, such as the ability to create subtitles with precision and ease. FxFactory partner SUGARfx is ready to change all of that, <a href="http://www.sugarfx.tv/info/subtitles_SUGARfx.html" target="_blank">introducing a new $49 plug-in called Subtitles</a> on Monday. Also compatible with the older Final Cut Pro 7 as well as Adobe Premiere Pro 6.0.2, Motion 3, 4 or 5 and Adobe After Effects CS3 and higher, Subtitles tackles numerous languages and fonts with the ability to import from several subtitle formats. Drag and drop the filter onto a movie, select the format to use and the helpful on-screen controls will handle the rest. As usual for FxFactory, there's a free trial version available for download to give it a spin before buying, and the SUGARfx website also features video tutorials to get started quickly.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p><em>(Image courtesy of The Washington Post)</em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/weekend_recap_bk_twitter_hack_posterous_closing_best_buy_price_matching#commentsNewsbest buyFxFactoryhackedposterousprice matchingshowroomingSubtitlesthe pirate bayTwitterweekend recapiPhoneTue, 19 Feb 2013 13:44:02 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16259 at http://www.maclife.comOvernight Recap: Low-Cost iPhone, Firefox 18, AT&T's 10 Million Smartphoneshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_lowcost_iphone_firefox_18_atts_10_million_smartphones
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/iphone_5_34hi_stagger_frontback_black_print_200px.png" alt="iPhone 5" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Does anyone really think that Apple <em>won't</em> make a cheaper iPhone eventually? As Cupertino gradually reaches the loftiest heights of their profit margins, it would seem inevitable they will start to explore less-expensive options to soak up any remaining market share worldwide. But hey, if this is news to you, read on to find out what <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>has to say on the subject in our Tuesday recap...</p><h3>Report: Low-Cost iPhone (Maybe) Coming This Year</h3><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324391104578230060513922882.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTTopStories" target="_blank"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em> is reporting</a> that Apple may be planning to combat the rise of Android and Samsung Galaxy smartphones in particular with a "lower-end iPhone." Calling the move "a big shift in corporate strategy as [Apple's] supremacy in smartphones has slipped," the cheaper iPhone is said to look a lot like the current model, but made from less costly materials, such as polycarbonate plastic. The report also claims Apple may recycle parts from older iPhone models to arrive at a lower price point. The report isn't exactly a revelation: A cheaper iPhone is more a matter of "when" rather than "if," and the newspaper was quick to note "Apple could still decide to scrap the plan," giving them a nice out if the low-cost iPhone doesn't appear anytime soon.</p><h3>CES 2013: Panasonic Announces iOS-Friendly VIERA HDTV</h3><p>To the surprise of no one, consumer electronics companies continue to introduce a wave of new products at CES 2013 this week, and Panasonic is no exception. <a href="http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prModelDetail?storeId=11301&amp;catalogId=13251&amp;itemId=692007&amp;modelNo=Content01072013040339024&amp;surfModel=Content01072013040339024" target="_blank">The company has unveiled its line of smart VIERA plasma HDTVs for this year</a>, which include a curious new feature called Swipe &amp; Share 2.0. What does it do? According to the press release, it "transforms the TV into a hub for streaming and sharing photo and video content seamlessly with smartphone and tablet devices." Naturally, that includes iOS as well as Android devices, but the feature will only be found on 2013 VIERA ZT60, V760 and ST60 models, so keep that in mind while planning your next HDTV shopping extravaganza.</p><h3>Retina-Ready Firefox 18 Now Available for Download</h3><p><a href="http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/18.0/releasenotes/" target="_blank">Tuesday saw the official release of Firefox 18 from Mozilla,</a> and this is the one MacBook Pro with Retina Display users have been waiting for. The update indeed includes support for those luscious Retina Displays on OS X 10.7 and up, while also adding faster JavaScript performance by way of the IonMonkey compiler as well as preliminary support for WebRTC. Version 18 also brings better image quality thanks to a new HTML scaling algorithm, performance improvements for tab switching and a handful of developer-oriented features. You should know the drill by now thanks to these rapid releases every six weeks or so, but if not, <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/" target="_blank">head to the Mozilla website</a> and get your download on, fool...</p><h3>AT&amp;T Sells 10 Million Smartphones in Q4 2012</h3><p>In what's sure to be a preview of the carrier's Q4 2012 earnings report due January 24, AT&amp;T has announced 10 million smartphones were activated in the holiday quarter, topping the previous record of 9.4 million sold during the same period in 2011. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/08/us-att-smartphonesales-idUSBRE9070JC20130108?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=technologyNews" target="_blank">According to Reuters</a>, the carrier appears to have sold 26.7 million units in 2012 -- slightly ahead of their own 26 million forecast -- meaning more and more of us are tossing out the dumb phones and wading into the smartphone pool. Rival Verizon Wireless isn't sharing any Q4 numbers yet, but they did go on the record touting their "strongest fourth quarter ever," with both an increase in subscriber numbers as well as an overall bump in smartphone sales. Stay tuned, a wave of Q4 2012 earnings announcements are coming!</p><h3>Target Will Now Match Amazon, Others All Year Long</h3><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/target-match-prices-key-rivals-websites-round-135027428--sector.html" target="_blank">Reuters (via Yahoo! News) reported Tuesday</a> that retailer Target is planning to attack e-tailers head on by price matching competitors all year round from here on. Target had introduced an online price match service for the holiday season which ended December 16, but the move was apparently successful enough to make it a permanent one. The report singles out competitors such as Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Toys R Us, and Target shoppers will have a week to claim their price match after making a purchase.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_lowcost_iphone_firefox_18_atts_10_million_smartphones#commentsNewsCES 2013Firefox 18iphone 5Mozillaovernight recappanasonicprice matchingTargetVIERAWall Street JournaliPhoneMacWed, 09 Jan 2013 13:30:30 +0000J.R. Bookwalter15951 at http://www.maclife.comBest Buy to Combat "Showrooming" with Online Price Matchinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/best_buy_combat_showrooming_online_price_matching
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/best_buy_exterior_200px.png" alt="Best Buy store" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />As the holiday shopping season fast approaches, retailer Best Buy is planning to shrug off concerns that many internet users are simply using their stores as a showroom for products purchased online by price matching.<br /><br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10000872396390444657804578050864206903402-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMjAxODI3Wj.html" target="_blank"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em> is reporting</a> that Best Buy is hoping to avoid another slump in holiday sales by taking steps to increase the number of potential customers who come into the store and actually buy something.<br /><br />Right now that number stands at 40 percent, but the company thinks it can do better in an effort to stave off "showrooming" -- a term for internet shoppers who use use a retail store to see and touch a product, then go online to buy it somewhere else.<br /><br />Executives claim showrooming happens with only a small percentage of customers -- a number in the "mid-teens," but which has jumped three percentage points in the last two years alone. The company's forthcoming plans seem to acknowledge that something must be done to address the growing problem.<br /><br />The solution appears to be, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" -- as in, match the better internet price rather than lose the sale completely. Best Buy is still working out the details on the new program, which the report notes "might exclude some products."<br /><br />According to one source, another plan in the works is to "offer free home delivery on merchandise that is out of stock in stores."<br /><br />The problem isn't unique to Best Buy -- it's also an issue for Walmart and Toys "R" Us as well, especially with more customers equipped with smartphones that enables price matching without even leaving the store.<br /><br />"The future belongs to the retailer who has what the customer wants and can sell it through every channel -- store, online and mobile," concludes Toys "R" Us CEO Gerald Storch.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/best_buy_combat_showrooming_online_price_matching#commentsNewsbest buycustomersfree deliveryInternetprice matchingRetail StoresshoppingshowroomingToys R UswalmartFri, 12 Oct 2012 12:09:02 +0000J.R. Bookwalter15296 at http://www.maclife.comSprint Practically Giving Away iPhone 4S, Now with $100 Amex Gift Cardhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/sprint_practically_giving_away_iphone_4s_now_100_amex_gift_card
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/sprint_logo_200px.png" alt="Sprint logo" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />If it's not yet clear that a new iPhone is coming soon, look no further than Sprint, who is following up its recent online-only $50 discount on the current iPhone 4S with yet another enticement to buy now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sprint-iphone-on-sale-2012-8" target="_blank">Business Insider is reporting</a> that Sprint is now offering yet another incentive to buy an iPhone 4S right now, and it's certainly going to be a hard one for many users to pass up.<br /><br />In addition to the $50 online discount we noted last week, Sprint is sweetening the deal by offering new subscribers a $100 American Express prepaid gift card, which effectively drops the price of your new handset to a mere 50 bucks.<br /><br />Of course, to get this deal you'll need to sign on the dotted line of a new two-year agreement and you'll actually need to fork over $149.99 at the time of purchase -- then wait for your $100 gift card to arrive in the mail, which essentially refunds a big chunk of that up-front purchase.<br /><br />We're not sure if Sprint's iPhone 4S inventory looks like the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark or what, but a deal's a deal, any way you slice it.<br /><br />Oh, and you don't have to head to Sprint to take advantage of the deal. Now that Apple retail stores are price-matching on discounted iPhones, you can head there to sign up for Sprint service and receive a $100 store credit, which might be even better than an Amex gift card for many of us.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/sprint_practically_giving_away_iphone_4s_now_100_amex_gift_card#commentsNewsAmerican ExpressAmexApple Retail StoresDealsDiscountsGift CardsiPhone 4Sprice matchingSprintiPhoneWed, 15 Aug 2012 13:23:31 +0000J.R. Bookwalter14811 at http://www.maclife.com